Fair Weather Friends
by TheLostMaximoff
Summary: Set during episode 2x09. Len is grateful for the early release from prison but that doesn't mean he's going to disregard his common sense.


Fair-Weather Friends

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I decided to do something with the Rogues, especially since Weather Wizard is my favorite. R/R.

"So, are you in or are you out?"

Leonard Snart is more used to asking that question than he is answering it. It isn't often that someone else comes to him with a job offer. It's becoming an increasingly unusual world though and he considers himself flexible enough to make necessary adjustments. Len takes a few seconds to ponder Mark Mardon's question. He can think of a very large number of reasons to say no. Killing someone like The Flash only brings a death sentence and there's no profit in that. Len has grown fond of the little game that he and Barry play. It amuses him but he knows that most of the other criminals in Central City don't share his view on things.

Mark Mardon isn't thinking about money. It's an unusual thing considering that he and Clyde were once the best bank robbers in the business. They fancied themselves like the modern version of the James Gang, or at least Clyde did. Mark was always the more sensible of the two until that two decreased to one. Right now, Mark's only thinking about revenge. His anger is etched into his every movement, his body language screaming for blood. He's thinking about the police detective that shot his brother dead. He's thinking about the humiliation he suffered at The Flash's hands, the speedster dispensing with him in only a few minutes. He's thinking about how he was locked up in that Pipeline like a damn animal.

"I don't see how this makes any of us any richer," responds Len finally. "Let's say we manage to kill him. What then?"

Mark flicks his eyes towards James and realizes that neither of them ever asked that question. There is never "what then?" for James Jesse. He's a creature of psychotic impulse, a child taking out his anger on the world. Mark knows that James never got beyond the part where they kill The Flash. For that matter, Mark himself hadn't thought much beyond that point. It's not in his nature to be so reckless. He always had to be the brains of the outfit because Clyde wasn't. Clyde was the one who blew his half of a score on that Mustang Shelby because he thought it was the coolest car ever. Clyde was the one who always risked screwing up a job by doing something unnecessary and flashy. It was always little brother Clyde who was headstrong and reckless. Mark misses him, misses the way he was when he had his brother by his side. Now there's nothing left in him but rage.

"We own this town," says Mark.

Len sees the posturing a mile away. He sees what's beneath it though. He's made it his business to read up on the local talent. That knowledge comes in handy when it's recruitment time for a job. The Mardon brothers were always on his radar. He knows that now there's just Mark, and the man is so consumed by grief and anger that he's no good to anyone. Len can't say he would be any different if something happened to Lisa.

"We'll all own a one-way ticket to a lethal injection," he tells them both. "Look, Mardon, I know that you and your brother were good. You understand that this is a business. You're not like that one over there."

"I'm still in the room," reminds James as his beady eyes focus on Len's finger that's pointed his way.

"You definitely are soft," realizes Mark. "This isn't business anymore, Snart. Nobody locks me up in a cage and then tries to haul me off to God knows where like I'm luggage. The Flash and his buddies are going to suffer for that."

"You confuse 'soft' with 'smart'," says Len. "The Flash shows up and all you can think about is removing him from the equation. That's because you're too lazy to come up with a solution that works around him. When you're ready to be sensible then we'll do business. Right now, I'm taking a pass. Merry Christmas and all that."

Mark feels the lightning dance on his fingertips and wants to fry Len as he leaves. At one time, Mark considered Len something of an icon. The legendary Leonard Snart was something he and Clyde could only aspire to be. Mark knows he's surpassed Len now thanks to his powers. He and James are going to kill The Flash and then they'll be the legends while Len is left out in the cold.

"I should've just let you rot in Iron Heights," says Mark as Len keeps walking away. "You don't have the stomach for this anymore, Snart."

Len's fingers squeeze around the grip of his cold gun. He remembers his father saying something similar to him and that was one of the last things his father said at all. He flicks up the hood on his parka and keeps walking. He mentally files away this incident. He thinks there's still potential for Mark once the man's rage dies out. Storms don't last forever after all. Once Mark finds himself alone and imprisoned again, he'll be more apt to listen to reason. Until then, Len is content to enjoy his early release from jail.


End file.
